Nuisance Next Door
by Miss Light Bright
Summary: Avengers High School AU. Loki was perfectly fine by himself- dealing with Odin, being an outcast, avoiding Thor. It was all easy. What wasn't easy was Tony Stark's sudden presence in his life. Who the hell does he think he is? Frostiron
1. Support Group

"Loki!" Odin hollered from down the hall for the third time that night.

With a jolt, Loki snapped his laptop shut and shoved it back onto his desk before turning to the window. Slipping his fingers under the bottom of the window, he threw it open, exposing the warm air of the August evening.

Footsteps pounded down the hallway, making their way towards Loki's room on the end. Loki's heart stuttered. In a flash, he swung his legs out onto the sill and pulled his body through to stand on the small ledge of the roof. Just as Odin's fist began to pound the door, Loki was already gone, slamming the window shut and diving away from the window.

Taking light steps, Loki balanced his way across the rickety roof. The well-worn shingles creaked under his weight as he made his way to sit in the spot between his room and Thor's. But then he paused. "Thor, what are you doing up here?" he asked, casting a glare at his brother who was already sitting on his spot.

Looking up, Thor offered him a small smile. "I assumed you would enjoy the company, brother." He held out a mug of towards Loki which Loki took gingerly.

"Hot chocolate in August? Really, sometimes I wonder if you are brain-dead."

"It's for comfort," Thor replied, looking mildly offended. Loki reluctantly sat down beside his brother and took a sip of the piping hot drink, smiling discreetly into the cup at the familiar sweet taste. "What did you do to father this time?"

"I didn't do anything," Loki replied broodingly. Odin's shouts were still loud enough to be heard through the windows and Loki drew his knees into his chest. "Well, I wasn't trying to do anything this time."

Thor scooted his way closer to Loki but didn't dare to touch him. For this, Loki was grateful. They listened in silence as Odin continued to holler but soon their mother, Frigga, joined the fray, yelling right back at him. In was strangely sobering to listen to their parents fight. It was a normal affair in their household, but it was unnerving nonetheless.

"Loki," Thor whispered.

"Shut up," he hissed back, straining his ears to hear their words. He swore he had heard his name.

"Loki, what did you do?

Loki looked back his brother, ready to snap when he saw the look on Thor's face. It was his look of pure protectiveness that could only be of an older brother. Loki frowned. "I don't need to be protected, Thor," he said, trying to keep his voice low.

They stared at each other in the dark, both clutching at the cooling drinks in their hands.

Suddenly, a light went on in the house across from them and the brothers looked up in surprise. That house had been empty for months since the old lady who owned had passed away. The two watched as a boy entered the room, one they've never seen around their small town; a brown-haired boy with a strong jaw. He held a stack of two boxes and he threw them down on his bare bed in a heap. Then he glanced up, freezing when he saw the two watching him through the window.

Loki looked at Thor, not knowing what to think, as the boy approached the window and opened it. "Hello, strange people outside my window."

"Hello," Thor stated slowly. Loki remained silent, narrowing his eyes.

"What… uh… what are you doing out here?" he asked, looking at the two in confusion.

"Spying on you, obviously," Loki deadpanned.

Thor elbowed Loki before smiling at the guy. "Ignore my brother, he over-exaggerates. I'm Thor and this is Loki."

"Tony Stark," he replied, leaning against the window sill.

"Well, if you don't mind, Stark," Loki said, waving him away from the window. He didn't feel like dealing with an idiot at this time of night.

Tony only stared at him, unaffected. Loki glared back for a split second before turning to Thor, "I'm going back inside."

"Brother, no," Thor urged, latching onto Loki's arm to stop him from moving.

Silence settled for a moment while Tony looked at them curiously. A bout of shouts rose up from inside the house and Loki could see the realization hit Tony. "Oh, bad parenting? I know how that is."

"Sorry, I didn't realize that we were starting a support group," Loki snapped before wrenching his arm from Thor and dumping the remainder of the hot chocolate into the bushes below. He stood, not looking back, and made his way to his window a few steps away.

"Sorry about him," Loki heard Thor say.

That irked him entirely too much. Thor was always apologizing for him, as if he were some embarrassment. Jerking the window open, Loki threw the mug onto the floor and slipped inside.

The yelling was much louder inside, and Loki felt himself snap. Seething, he marched to the door and flung it open to reveal Odin and Frigga standing in front of his room. "What have I done to disappoint you this time, father?" Loki asked with a cruel smile. "Did I stain your perfect reputation yet?"

"Loki," Frigga warned.

"What did I tell you about getting into fights?" Odin yelled at Loki. His face was red with the unshakable anger.

For a split second, Loki felt a small pang of fear but he pushed it aside. "Well, I learn from the best!" Loki yelled back, still smiling. It hurt to smile.

Odin took a step forward but Frigga intercepted him, holding him back from their son. Loki's smile faded as a feeling of deja vu crept through him. "Loki, go," Frigga said to Loki seriously, nodding at Loki's open room.

No, not this time. Loki turned on his heel, marched down the hallway towards the stairs, and disappeared.

* * *

Tony was supposed to be unpacking but instead he was leaning out a window, listening silently with Thor as Loki began to yell at his parents. Then everything went silent. Tony would have taken this as a good thing if he hadn't seen the worry that covered Thor's face.

"What's wrong, blondie?" Tony asked.

"Loki is going to storm out," he said evenly. And, as if on cue, the front door slammed and Tony spotted Loki's mop of black hair through the dark as he headed out onto the street.

He shifted uncomfortably before looking at Thor. "Aren't you going to go after him?"

"No, he does this often," Thor sighed as he stood. "He'll back before midnight." But he moved quickly, leaving the roof without saying goodbye.

"Good night to you too." Tony sat there, listening to the crickets and the distant cars, and felt a bout of loneliness descend around him. But he smiled a moment later when he watched Thor sneak out the front door, heading in the direction Loki went.

Sure, their parents fought but it was more than what Tony had. He had an empty house full of boxes with only Jarvis to keep him company. Speaking of which, he pulled out his phone and said, "Jarvis?"

"Yes, sir?" the A.I. answered from his phone.

"Do you think if we hugged it out, the three of us could be friends?"

"That would be most unwise, sir."

Tony nodded. "I expected as much."

* * *

**Review if you can! Should I continue?**


	2. To borrow a pen

Loki was slammed so hard against the locker that he was forced to laugh. And once he started, he couldn't stop. Perhaps he was going crazy, but this whole situation was just hysterical. Last night he'd gotten yelled at by Odin for punching Clint and today here he was fighting with Fandral, on the first day of school. Odin was going to have a field day.

"Stop laughing!" Fandral hollered, grabbing Loki's collar and slamming him once again against the maroon steel lockers. Loki's head collided painfully, turning his laugh into a gasp.

The world blurred in front of Loki, but as soon as he blinked it clear, Fandral was swinging his arm backward, gearing up for a punch. Loki ducked hard, pulling his shirt out of Fandral's grasp, and Fandral's fist connected with the locker with a thundering crash.

"Shit!" Fandral cried.

"Wow, do kiss your mother with that mouth?" Loki taunted, jumping away from him, laughing again.

A murmur went through the small crowd and someone yelled, "Someone get Thor!"

Loki spun and shot Clint a glare. Of course, it would be Clint, the tattletale. "If you get Thor, I'll give you a black eye to match the other!" he said, shaking a threatening fist at him.

"Loki!" Too late. Thor was marching down the hallway, pushing through the crowd. That's it, Clint was going to get it.

"Thor, control your brother!" Fandral yelled as he shook out his injured hand. There was a bit of blood on knuckles and his eyes were flashing with unrelenting anger.

"No one controls me!" Loki said angrily. Thor was not his keeper!

"Loki, please," Thor said, grabbing Loki's arm to hold him back from Fandral. Thor rounded on Loki, standing between the two. "Why do you always do this?"

With anger overflowing, Loki pushed Thor off of him. "Why is it always my fault?"

Thor gave him the look. The one Loki hated most of all. The look of complete pity.

"Loki, Thor, Fandral!" The three looked up, suddenly faced with the school's principal, Fury. The crowd began to disperse at his sudden appearance. "My office. Now!"

Fandral shot Loki a glare, Thor sighed heavily, and the two walked ahead of him without a second glance. Loki crossed his arms, seething, but reluctantly followed.

* * *

"Pepper!" Tony greeted with his arms outstretched to gather the girl into a hug.

"Touch me and you die," she replied but there was a smile on her face. The excitement was apparent. "I can't believe you're here!" She gathered him around the waist just as he was about to drop his arms and he almost suffocated at the force of it.

"Pepper, I need to breathe," he reminded, patting her gingerly on the back.

She hopped backward, grinning. "So how is the house? Did you get everything moved in?"

Tony rolled his eyes, watching the students stream around them to the front entrance of the school. "Hardly. Howard didn't bother to show up so I had to drag all of the boxes inside myself. It has to be some sort of child abuse." He turned to the side to look over his shoulder. "He did give me a car to make up for it though." It was red. That's all Tony had cared to know about it.

"Lucky you," Pepper replied with a wry smile.

Tony clicked one of the buttons on his keys, effectively locking it, before steering Pepper towards the school. He was glad he knew someone at his new school. Pepper's parents were friends with his father. Well, no, maybe that wasn't the right word. Business partners? Whatever. All that mattered was that he has known Pepper far too long.

"What should I expect?" he asked, following the crowd through the doors and into the long hallway lines with maroon lockers.

"Our school is the same as the next," she said with an eye roll.

* * *

Loki sat in the middle, between Thor and Fandral, in the seats in front of Fury's desk. He sighed impatiently as Fury sat down across from them.

"Well?" Fury asked. "What it's about this time?"

"He was laughing at me," Fandral said, scowling.

"Laughing?" Fury said, quirking an eyebrow. Slowly, he leaned forward in his chair to rest his elbows onto the desk and clasping his hands. He raised an eyebrow. "So you're telling me that you were fighting because Loki was _laughing?_"

Fandral shifted uncomfortably and Loki fought to keep down a gleeful smile. "Well, no," Fandral fumbled to say.

"I know that my brother started it," Thor said. Loki whipped his head to glare at Thor. "They were both acting stupid, however, and I apologize on their behalf."

Loki slunk down lower in his chair.

Fury sighed, leaning back again. "You two, out," he said, gesturing to Thor and Fandral. The two left quickly, leaving Loki behind to face Fury himself. "What really happened, Loki?"

Loki looked off to the side, out the window. It was a sunny day. Warm. "You heard, Fandral. I laughed at him. Called him a few names…"

"We can't keep doing this."

"Seeing you every day after class last year wasn't enough. I intend on spending my junior year just the same," Loki said, mustering up a smile.

"Good, you've got it. Detention after school."

Loki nodded. "Fantastic, can I go?"

* * *

"Ah, there's my locker!" Tony said approaching locker 327.

Pepper nodded. "Okay, I'll be right back. I'm going to stop at mine and I'll be right back." She walked away, leaving Tony to stare at his locker.

After a brief moment, Tony slipped his phone from his pocket. "Jarvis, what is my locker combo?"

"24, 53-" Jarvis began.

"Not out loud," Tony said just a boy went to the locker next to his own. He was tall and skinny with a brooding scowl on his face. "Strange people may hear you and want to break into my locker."

"My apologies, sir." Jarvis displayed Tony's locker combo across the screen.

"So, we're locker buddies," Tony said with a grin, turning to Loki.

Loki looked over in surprise just as he opened his locker. "We are not, in no shape or form, 'buddies.'"

Tony opened his own. "Oh, look at that," Tony said, looking at the empty space inside. "I forgot to unpack my notebooks."

Loki didn't look up from his locker, gathering his things for his first class.

"Can I borrow a pen?"

Loki slammed his locker shut, holding a notebook, and turned to Tony. "No." Then he turned on his heal and marched away, leaving Tony far behind.

"Oh come on, Loks! No need to get feisty!"

Loki disappeared into the crowd just as Tony was rejoined by Pepper. "I see you've met Loki. He's a head case."

Tony turned to Pepper and tilted his head. "Pep, you wouldn't have an extra pen on you, would you?"

* * *

**Wow, I am really happy with the good turn out so far! Thanks for reviewing and following! So, I plan to update often, so don't get too mad about chapters of this length.**


	3. Chemistry and Other Activities

Loki, being as smart as he was, was in advanced chemistry. And since he lived in such a small town, this meant that he was stuck in Thor's senior class. Loki loved science though, so it was the only class he didn't mind being early for.

Sitting in a seat in the furthest back corner possible, Loki watched as the seniors streamed into the classroom. If it were anything like last year, Loki would be the odd one out. Well, that was like in any class, really, but this was different. Loki was the only one allowed to be accelerated in science and the seniors generally resented him for that.

Loki rested his chin on his arms when Thor entered the room, laughing boisterously with… Fandral. Squeezing his eyes shut, he hoped he wouldn't be noticed.

"Loki!" Well, there goes that idea. Thor stomped his way down the aisle before sitting right across from Loki with Fandral in the seat in front of him. To Thor's left, Jane sat down quietly, looking at Thor, but he was too preoccupied with Loki. Loki felt for the girl, really.

"This year is going to suck," Loki breathed into his arms, slumping down lower than before.

Loki looked up at the front of the room and froze. One Tony Stark had wandered into the senior chemistry class, looking around like he belonged there. No way.

Stark turned and his eyes caught Loki's and the guy brightened. He began to make his way back towards Loki. Quickly, Loki propped his feet up, shoving them onto the seat in front of him. "Hey, Loks."

"Don't call me that."

"Saved me a spot?"

Loki narrowed his eyes. "I think you are in the wrong classroom, Stark."

"This is chemistry right?" He looked down at his schedule he had in one hand and he set a single pen down on the desk.

"Whoa, Loki is going to have competition," Fandral said, casting Loki a smug grin.

God, Loki wanted to strangle him right then but he ignored his comment to glare at Stark. "You might want to find a new seat. I'm saving this one."

"For who?" Thor asked, looking genuinely curious. "You don't have any friends."

Loki looked at his brother in exasperation. Really?

"Ah, so I am in the right place," Tony said, knocking Loki's feet from the chair and plopping down.

"Okay, everyone settle down," Mr. Coulson said, stepping into the room just as the bell rang overhead. Loki let out a sigh of relief when Stark turned his attention away to the front of the room. He didn't need him to get the impression that he and Loki were friends. "Welcome to twelfth grade chemistry! If you think you are in for an easy 'A' then you are sadly mistaken. Being a senior does not entitle you to anything even though it may feel like it." His eyes skimmed the room and stopped in Loki's corner. "In addition, we also have a new student this year."

Tony stiffened in the seat in front of Loki.

"Tony Stark, our newest and brightest junior," Coulson said, gesturing to Tony.

While Loki would normally take offense with what Coulson had just said, he was instead preoccupied with the heavy murmuring that went through the room as the kids turned to look at Tony. They were all turning to look at him.

"Tony, would you like to come to the front and tell a little bit about yourself?"

Loki couldn't see Tony's face but his tense shoulders showed that he did not want to be the center of attention. "I'd rather not," Tony started.

"Is it true that your father is Howard Stark?" someone called from the front of the room.

Well. Loki was clearly missing something. The chatter grew more excited.

"Your father is _rich!_"

Loki snorted at that one. If that was true, Stark was probably already aware.

"Is it true that-"

And they just kept going on and on about it and it was starting to get on Loki's nerves. Tony still looked tense and people wouldn't stop so he couldn't help when he interrupted, "Is it true that you all can't keep your _god damned mouths shut?_"

The classroom went silent as Loki's words. Everyone stared at him with the contempt that was a constant in Loki's life. It didn't even hurt that much anymore.

"_Brother_," Thor hissed under his breath in a quiet scold.

Loki didn't look at Thor or anyone else besides Coulson, waiting on the inevitable. "Loki, I will not tolerate this behavior this year as well," Coulson began.

Just on cue. Loki snapped his chemistry book shut and gathered up his things before Coulson could finish. "Yeah, yeah. Fury's office, I know the drill," Loki said. He took his things and left the room, feeling a little disappointed that he was going to miss the first day of his favorite subject.

* * *

Fury was, overall, unsurprised to see Loki in his office for the second time that day. Loki laughed, seeing the way Fury already looked exhausted with Loki's presence. "Usually I would not tolerate this type of behavior a third year in my high school but Odin is one our greatest benefactors to the school district." Fury sighed. "You will have detention after school for the full week."

Loki nodded, expecting as much.

"And I will call your father…"

Also expected.

"And you will sit out the rest of chemistry today writing an essay about what you did wrong and why you will never do it again."

Loki groaned. "An essay, really? Couldn't you just have me clean some graffiti or something?"

Fury pointed to the door of his office. "Hallway. Now."

Hopping out of the uncomfortable chair, Loki headed for the door. He made sure to slam the door extra hard for Fury.

The hallway was empty and eerily quiet but Loki didn't mind. He sat down right outside Fury's door and opened his notebook to a random page. He stared it. What was he even supposed to write? He shrugged and set to work, writing the first thing that came to mind.

_**I apologize for yelling at the imbeciles in Coulson's chemistry class to keep their goddamned mouths shut. They are all a bunch of idiots and it infuriates me to be forced in their presence. Couldn't they see that Stark was**_

Loki stopped and stared at his page. Immediately, he ripped it out and crumpled it into a tight ball before throwing it at the nearest trash can.

* * *

Lunch. Tony fell into the line at lunch and glanced around, looking for anyone he knew. There was only one lunch period at this tiny school, so perhaps he could sit with Pepper…

"Hey, you're Tony, right?"

Looking to his immediate right, Tony was faced with a tall blonde boy who was smiling at him with genuine kindness. He held his hand out to Tony who shook it awkwardly. "I'm Steve," he said. "And these two are Natasha and Clint." He gestured to the two people standing in front of Steve in the lunch line, but at Steve's words, the two turned to look at Tony.

"Tony Stark," he said back even they obviously knew who he was already. He slipped his hand away from Steve's.

"Oh, you're in my history class!" Natasha exclaimed, pointing at Tony. "And Pepper mentioned on the phone you were moving here."

"Pepper? You guys are friends with her?"

Steve nodded. "You should sit with us at lunch. Pepper usually sits with us too."

Tony was about to reply when he caught a glimpse of Clint's face. "Whoa, dude, what happened to your face?"

Clint's eyes flashed with anger. "It was Loki. The freak just punched me out of nowhere."

"Loki?" Tony repeated. More and more through the day, Tony had heard from multiple sources about Loki's antics and the general dislike for him, but Tony had not witnessed for himself why Loki was so hated. Loki had gotten him out of answering stupid questions in Chemistry and he was kind of grateful for that. In fact…

"Clint lives near Loki," Natasha interrupted Tony's thoughts.

"Had to deal with the asshole all summer," Clint grumbled with his arms crossed.

"I just moved in next door to Thor and Loki, actually," Tony said. "So I guess we live near each other."

"You live next to Loki?" Natasha asked with sudden interest sparkling in her eyes.

"Yeah… why?"

Clint was the first to speak. "Well, there is this rumor going around that Loki poisoned the old lady that lived in that house and now she haunts the place."

"And that's what it is," Steve said, glaring at Clint, "just a rumor."

"Come on," Tony said, looking around at the three of them. "Loki can't be that bad."

Clint laughed. "He is, believe us. You haven't been here very long but you'll find out soon enough that he is bat-shit crazy." They began to inch forward as the line finally decided to move.

"One time, Loki started a fire in one of the bathrooms! He could have burned the whole school down!" Natasha rushed to say.

Clint agreed with a nod. "And there was the time he cut off all of Sif's hair."

"I always see him standing around at the park by my house," Steve said, looking thoughtful. "My mom always says he's up to something bad out there. Probably selling drugs. Not sure if it's true though."

"I'd believe it," Clint said.

Tony didn't know what to think. What he'd seen of Loki didn't match with their version of Loki. What was real and what wasn't?

"Uh oh, guys. Tony's got that look," Natasha said, elbowing Clint.

"What look?" Tony asked.

Natasha smiled as they moved forward with the line. She grabbed a tray from the stack. "The look the new people get when anyone talks about Loki, like they want to be Loki's friend and prove us all wrong that he's not a psycho. Just trust us and save yourself the trouble."

"I'll keep that in mind," Tony said drily.

Suddenly a body pushed past Tony's back, making him stumble a little. Tony whipped his head to see who it was just in time to see Loki leaving the line and heading away from the lunch room. Shit.

"Crap, I didn't know he was standing there, did you guys?" Natasha asked, sounding worried.

"I did," Clint said with a laugh.

Natasha hit him over the head but laughed a little with him.

Tony couldn't believe it. The three of them went on as if nothing had happened; as if Loki had not just heard them bashing him. Steve did look a little guilty though.

What was wrong with this school?

* * *

**Thank you guys for reviewing and favoriting! This story is a blast to write. Also, I will try to update once a week or more. Please review!**


	4. Rain and Tears

Loki pushed past the kids standing around the bathroom and retreated inside. What in the world was _wrong_ with him today? He was fine not having friends, constantly getting detention, and generally pissing off the student body, but what was it about Stark that was throwing him off? As soon as the idiot had started to listen to _Clint _and his cronies, Loki knew that Stark was no different than the rest of them; dull and completely pedestrian.

He went to the sink and wrapped his hands around the base of the porcelain sink as he stared into the mirror. Jet black hair, dark green eyes, and a well-ingrained scowl reflected back at him.

Loki breathed out heavily and shakily. He shouldn't have let them get to him.

Suddenly the door behind him swung open and Tony appeared in the doorway. Loki stilled. That was the last person he'd expected. Loki watched Tony's reflection in the mirror as he crossed the bathroom and stopped just behind Loki.

"Need something, Stark?" His voice echoed across the bathroom tile.

Tony's eyes met Loki's in the mirror before skittering away. Loki tensed. "Just making sure you're okay and…" Tony began but he trailed off, raking his fingers through his hair uncomfortably.

Loki pried his fingers away from the sink and turned to look at Tony face-to-face. "I'm fine," he said, frowning. This was strange, why would Stark even care?

Tony's lips quirked up into a grin. "I just want to make sure you're not mad, Loks."

"Why are you even doing this?" Loki asked. "Clint and Natasha are right, you know. I'm just trouble, so… stay away from me." Loki looked him right in the eye, trying to drive his point home. He hadn't had friends in a long time and he wasn't going to start making them now. Loki only wanted to make it through high school and never have to see any of these people again.

"Hmm, I might just take that as a challenge."

"What?"

"The more everyone tells me to stay away, the more I want to talk to you."

Loki felt the hate and the rage heat up his blood. "So I'm just a game to you?" Loki seethed.

Tony's smile started to fade. "No, that's not-"

"Just stay away from me," Loki said lowly. He'd been played too many times in the past. So he pushed past Tony, heading for the exit.

* * *

Tony watched Loki leave and felt extremely conflicted. On one hand, he believed Loki was someone he could be friends with but on the other, maybe he should just follow Loki's advice and leave him alone. Loki clearly had a lot of issues. But thing was, Tony felt they were alike somehow.

He left the bathroom a moment after, looking both ways down the hallways for Loki. He was already gone, lost in the small crowds still making their way to lunch.

"Tony!" Pepper called, coming to Tony's side. "Natasha said that you just ran off. I came to find you."

"Pepper, can I ask you something? What's Loki's deal?" he asked, grabbing her arm and steering her towards the cafeteria. "Why's he so prickly?"

Pepper frowned and bit her lip. "I don't know, he just is," she said shrugging. "I think it all started in…. ninth grade? He just pushed all of his friends away and started fights and is the way he is now. Did you know that Natasha and I used to be friends with him?"

Tony tilted his head questionably and she smiled back. "But that was a long time ago," she said.

"I wonder what happened to him," Tony said.

"Guess we'll never know."

* * *

After school and after an extremely boring hour of detention, Loki left the school, determined to get as far away from it as possible. He opened the front doors and groaned. It was pouring. A lone black car idled in the space at the front of the parking lot: Odin's car.

Loki's hands tightened on his backpack straps as he stepped into the downpour, immediately becoming drenched. He could feel his hair plastering disgustingly over his face.

Despite the rain, Loki took his time getting to the car just to piss Odin off even more. When he arrived, he opened the car door, threw his backpack down onto the floor of the front seat, and got in gingerly, making sure to get as much of Odin's car wet as possible. In silence, he buckled himself in and slumped down in the seat, staring straight ahead.

The car continued to idle and Loki was forced to look up at his father. "You disappointed me again today, Loki," Odin said lowly. His hands were practically white as they clutched the steering wheel.

Loki breathed shallowly as he stared at his father. Slowly, Odin turned to look at him with the most loathing glare Loki could imagine. "It wasn't my fault," Loki said.

"The fight? The outburst? All of these things could be avoided if you would just shut up for once," Odin bit out.

Loki lowered his head, feeling the water from his hair drip down off his chin.

Odin continued, "Haven't I told you to blend in? Stay quiet, keep your head down-"

"Disappear?" Loki asked, looking up again.

"Exactly," Odin agreed.

Loki turned and leaned against the window, scowling. "Maybe I should run away," he mumbled.

"Don't be ridiculous," Odin said. "Your mother would be delirious."

Loki didn't respond, glaring out the window dully. Odin switched the gear of the car and pulled away from the curb to head home. Odin continued, "I don't know what to do with you anymore. Why must always embarrass this family with your silly tantrums. It's pathetic, Loki. We don't need a mental case."

They zoomed down the road and Loki wanted nothing more to throw himself out of the car. It would be better than sitting with Odin.

Soon, they pulled into their driveway and before the car had even come to a full stop, Loki jumped out of the car and slammed the car door behind him. "Loki!" Odin called after him.

With his backpack in hand, Loki burst into the house, shedding water all floor from the rain. "Loki!" Frigga said in surprise, poking her head from the kitchen.

He couldn't look at her. Loki stomped past her and up the stairs, heading for his room on the end. Before he reached his room, the shouting started up from downstairs. Odin and Frigga were at it again and Loki realized for the thousandth time that it was his fault.

Loki dropped his backpack on the floor of his room, slammed the door shut, and kicked off his shoes. Without hesitation, Loki went to his window and threw it open. The sound of the rain drowned out his parents' shouts; it was comforting.

With a crack of lightning flashed overhead, Loki crawled out the window into the heavy rain, taking refuge in the only place he knew. He shoved the window back and balanced across the narrow ledge a few feet before sitting down on the slippery shingles. Water ran around his feet and soaked his socks.

He slowly pulled his knees to his chest as everything that happened that day came rushing back. Tears leaked from his eyes and finally, he let them fall. This was the only place he'd ever let himself cry.

* * *

Tony rummaged through the boxes in his room when he heard the boom overhead as his room flashed with the sudden light. He glanced to his window and watched the rain fall across the darkened sky. He was about to go back to unpacking when he noticed Loki crawling out of his window. What was he doing out in the rain?

Tony pushed his box aside and watched Loki teeter across the roof and then flop down on the edge.

At first, it looked as if Loki were just sitting there but then Loki's shoulders began to shake. The sight froze Tony in place. This was Loki in his most vulnerable state; it felt as if her were intruding.

Creeping across the floor, he moved closer to the window to get a better look. Loki's hair was plastered to his face and he looked much like a dog left out in the rain. Tony caught a glance at Loki's scrunched-up crying face before Loki moved a hand up to cover his eyes.

"Jarvis, what do I do?" he said aloud to the A.I. in his phone, sitting on the bed.

"About what, sir?" he replied.

Tony took a step back from the window so that he wouldn't be seen by Loki. "Loks is out in the rain, crying. What do I do?"

"Well, you could interrupt him at risk of making him angry, or you could leave him alone to his own business which could be safer for the both of you."

Tony nodded, considering his options. "You know, Jarvis. I've never been one for the safe route."

He moved back out in front of the window to look at Loki. Loki had his head in both of his hands now, looking completely miserable.

Tony opened his window carefully. When it was fully open, Tony could hear the pounding of the rain and the light gasps of Loki's sobs. Thunder rolled overhead. Sighing, Tony leaned against his window sill to watch Loki. What should he say? Should even say anything at all?

"Loki," Tony said softly.

Loki froze; his cries silenced.

Tony frowned, struggling with his words. "What are you doing out here?"

No response.

"For crying out loud," Tony mumbled. He pushed himself up over the windowsill and onto his roof. Sliding a bit on the wet surface, Tony steadied himself against the edge of the house and then slid down so that he was mirroring Loki's pose.

"Look," Tony said, watching the boy intently. "You may think I'm some jerk like the other kids at school, but I'm not like that. I can see you for what you are." He let his words settle over Loki before continuing, "You don't need to tell me what's wrong or what happened because believe me, I know what it's like to be alone."

Loki slowly peeked up from his hands, his dark gaze settling on Tony. Tony swallowed and decided to remain silent. And then they just sat like that; silent in each other's company, even when it grew dark.

So when Loki finally stood to make his way back to his own window, Tony said, "I'm here whenever you need it."

Loki looked back and he looked almost hurt. "I don't need your pity." With that, he slammed his window shut and pulled the curtains shut.

"Well, shit," Tony said.

* * *

**Please toss me a review! I'll love you forever!**


	5. He's Mine

Today's goal, Tony decided, was to befriend the friendless and elusive Loki before the day was out. As he got dressed for school, Tony considered which way would be the best way, but in the end he figured it was probably best to leave it up to fate.

After throwing a red t-shirt, Tony glanced out the window, looking for any movement in Loki's room but the curtains were still drawn, revealing nothing. His eyes flickered away and he maneuvered around the piles of boxes to pick up his backpack on his way out.

He left the empty house to his car but paused just as he pushed the button to unlock his car. The Odinson's door banged shut as Loki and Thor appeared outside with Loki marching angrily away from his brother. "I told you to stay out of it, _Thor_!" Loki shot at Thor, turning on him. His eyes looked positively murderous and Tony felt a little bad for the guy.

"I would have stayed out of it if you hadn't brought me into the conversation, _Loki!_" Thor yelled back, looking just as ticked. Thor paced around Loki and unlocked the car with his remote, and continued to his side of the car.

Loki stayed where he was on the lawn but his hands curled into fists at his side. "This isn't about you!"

"Then why do I keep getting dragged into it?" Thor said, slamming a hand down on the roof of his car in frustration. "What did you even do to father to make him hate you so much?"

Oh, Ouch. That had to hurt. Tony moved slightly so that he was in better view over his car. "Sorry to interrupt," Tony started. Both brothers turned with heavy glares to look at him. "But… Loki do you want a ride?"

Thor glanced at Loki with a look of surprise but Loki avoided his gaze, holding his chin high. "You know what? Yes," Loki said in defiance. He started across the lawn and Thor rolled his eyes before disappearing into his car with a slam of his door.

Tony watched Loki approach with a grin. "Having a little tiff with your dear brother?"

"No talking," Loki said sulkily. He pulled the door open and ducked into Tony's car without another word.

"Okay then," Tony said. He moved into his own side of the car and started it, basking in the sweet roar of the new car. He looked to Loki for his reaction but Loki was looking out the window, watching his brother pull away from the curb. "Loks, you okay?"

Loki looked up. His fierce green eyes were jaded with hurt but he immediately threw up his mask of rage. "Fine, Stark, just drive."

With a sigh, Tony backed out of the driveway before following the route Thor had just taken. "So what did Thor-?"

"I don't know if you know," Loki interrupted, "but we're not friends. You don't need to talk to me." To Tony, something from Loki's words bothered him. "I don't want you bothering me constantly, okay?"

"I got it loud and clear," Tony replied, staring straight forward at the road. But, that didn't mean he would stop his pursuit. "Just concerned is all."

Silence settled over them as they drove on. It was a rare thing for Tony keep his radio off but he was waiting for something and if was right… Loki shifted uncomfortably in his seat and Tony had to hold back his grin. Tony waited a second before saying, "Are you sure you don't want to tell me?"

"Stark, would you just shut up?" Loki said, throwing his head back into his headrest.

"So you and Thor had a fight-"

"It wasn't just Thor!" Loki blew up. "It was Odin, he-" Loki snapped his mouth shut, realizing what was happening. "Just forget it."

Tony didn't want to give up, but he let it drop regardless. He didn't need Loki to hate him anymore than he did now. So he pulled into the school parking lot in silence and Loki was out the door before another word could be said.

* * *

Loki couldn't say he enjoyed Tony's constant hovering. In fact, he absolutely _loathed _it. At home, he was there. At school he was there. There was no place to hide! And when Loki even took the long way to chemistry, Tony even found him in the freshmen's hallway and began walking with him.

"Don't you have anything better to do than to follow me around, Stark?"

"Aren't you ever going to call me Tony?" he asked in his annoyingly cheerful tone. Loki wanted to strangle him. How can one lone person be so happy?

"Haven't you pestered me enough?" Loki was still unsure of what Tony wanted. He was being nice and nice was something Loki was not used to. Surreptitiously, Loki glanced about the room, searching for anything suspicious. "What do you really want?"

Tony stopped in front of Loki, forcing him to halt. Suddenly his face had turned serious. Loki didn't know what to make of it. "Last night," he began.

"You will not speak of last night," Loki growled out. He was mortified beyond description. Tony had seen him _cry. _No one has ever seen him cry! Well, at least since the ninth grade. It was degrading.

Tony tilted his head, suddenly looking tired, and casted Loki a sad smile. "Look. I'm not trying to trick you or mess with you or do whatever you think it is that I'm doing. I'm just trying to be a friend, Loks. I know what you're going through."

Loki could not believe it. "Friends?" He was shocked to the least but it wasn't a good feeling. He felt sick and miserable. "If you haven't heard, Stark, I don't do friends."

"It's Tony," he corrected. But he wasn't smiling. His eyes were searched Loki and he almost felt naked in front of Stark. Exposed.

"You're hopeless." Loki shook his head and headed to chemistry, ignoring Tony as he followed closely behind. In that moment he felt it in his bones that he would come to regret meeting Tony Stark.

* * *

So Loki had ignored him all through chemistry, even when they were paired up for the assignment. And Loki had avoided him in the hallways and at his locker. But Tony's resolve was stronger than ever. He liked a challenge; In fact, he welcomed it. So when lunch rolled around, Tony had a plan.

Tony held his tray steadily as he scanned the cafeteria, looking for one black-haired boy in particular. His new-found friends, of course, waved him over but he ignored them in favor of the plan. Stick to the plan…

There. He spotted Loki at a table in the back of the cafeteria, the only one sitting by himself. Tony moved towards him before he realized what he was doing.

Without a warning, he dropped down in the seat next to Loki's and set his tray down with a slam, catching Loki's attention. Loki looked up with wide, surprised eyes. "What the hell, Stark?"

"Tony," he said back.

"_You can't sit here,_" Loki hissed back, leaning towards him threateningly.

"Geez, I didn't realize I was in the middle of _Mean Girls._ Do you only wear pink on Wednesdays?"

"I'm serious, Tony," Loki said.

While Tony should be surprised Loki had finally used his first name, he was more concerned with the scared expression that was suddenly shrouding Loki's features. Tony was sure that he'd seen all sorts of emotions from Loki, but fear was not one he had seen yet. "What's wrong?"

"I don't want to be friends with you," Loki bit out. "I don't need you to be friends okay? Right now, I just need you to leave me alone. I can protect myself."

"Protect yourself?" Tony repeated in confusion. What in the world did Loki think was going to happen?

"Just leave," Loki practically pleaded.

Loki kept getting more and more complicated, Tony realized. One moment he was fierce and mean and the next he was vulnerable and scared. Tony was getting whiplash.

"Hey, Loki! Did you get a new friend?"

Loki stiffened as a boy Tony had not seen before approached the table. Suddenly, Tony realized that most of the lunch room had plunged into silence, watching and waiting. "Bucky," Loki said evenly.

"I'm sorry, Tony, we haven't met before," Bucky said cheerfully, offering up his hand. Tony took it lightly, noticing how Loki watched them with steeled eyes.

Suddenly, two more people appeared by Bucky's side; Fandral and Sif. "I didn't realize I was getting a welcoming party," Tony replied, slipping his hand from Bucky's.

"Nah, we just wanted to save you the trouble. Loki is not friend material."

Tony was beyond pissed. "I don't remember there being rules on who I can be friends with."

"Tony's not my friend," Loki spoke up. Tony glanced at him questionably but Loki's glare told him to shut up. "Never will be."

"Good," Bucky said. He held out his hand and Sif passed him a cup. "That's all I needed to hear." He dumped the contents of the cup over Loki's head and splashed over the table. Some kind of dark soda. Tony jumped out of his seat, just narrowly avoiding the spray.

Bucky started laughing and then the other two joined in, and soon half the cafeteria was laughing. Tony glared around the lunchroom in utter surprise at their cruelty. His eyes caught Pepper's and she looked pale, not laughing. Natasha sat just as rigidly by her side.

He turned back to Loki to find him frozen in his seat. His hair dripped with the sticky mess and his clothes were soaked. "Loki," Tony whispered.

Loki stood up, painfully slow, not making eye contact with anyone. He turned and pushed past the three. He had walked only a few feet down the aisle when Thor jumped into Loki's path. "Loki! Are you okay?" Thor looked all kinds of worried and pissed.

Loki shoved Thor aside and continued his silent walk out of the lunchroom. Thor turned on his friends and his face turned red as his yells echoed through the cafeteria. Tony tuned it out; His eyes were focused on Loki as he left in complete humiliation.

Tony turned back to Thor who was hollering up a storm at Fandral and Sif. Bucky, on the other hand, just had this sick, disgusting grin on his stupid smug face. Tony grabbed Bucky's shirt, and pulled at him threateningly. "What the hell was that for?"

"You better stay away from Loki," Bucky said, not caring that Tony was twisting up his shirt. "He's mine." Tony did not like the way he said that. All possessive. It ran chills up Tony's spine.

"No, you stay away," Tony growled back. "Because the next time you mess with him, you're dead."

* * *

**Sorry about the delay on this chapter! **


	6. Escape

Tony followed Loki, of course, but he was accompanied by Thor who had insisted on tagging along. Tony had the feeling that neither would be welcomed by Loki, though.

"Where do you think he went?" Tony asked, assuming that Thor would know more than him about his brother.

Thor looked conflicted for a moment. "Normally he would hide out on the roof and skip class but since he's sticky, he would want to wash it off first…"

Logical as any. Tony nodded and led the way to the bathroom he had met Loki in the day before. Hopefully he would go there again. He pushed the door open and was met with silence. Thor checked all of the stalls but they were all empty.

"Come on," Tony said, growing frustrated as he held the door open for Thor.

They walked down the silent hallways with Thor now in the lead, steering them towards a staircase Tony had never noticed before. "Do they bother him a lot?" Tony asked.

Thor nodded. "My brother has a habit of antagonizing a lot of people and, as a result, they retaliate accordingly. I try to stop my brother from causing trouble but he just won't quit and my friends won't listen to me. You cannot imagine being stuck in the middle like this. Sometimes I side with Loki and sometimes with my friends, but both options put a strain on my relationships."

They began to climb the stairs and Tony wondered distantly whether they were even allowed in this part of the school. "Do you know what Bucky meant when he said 'he's mine'? It was much too ominous for my taste."

Thor looked away quickly, looking uncomfortable. "Bucky used to be Loki's friend until Loki lashed out at him. He's had a personal vendetta against Loki ever since. It's rather unpleasant."

"What did Loki even do in ninth grade?" Tony asked. "That's where it all began, right?"

Thor paused at the door at the top of the stairs, looking conflicted. "I actually don't know. Loki won't tell me."

Thor pulled the handle and they were exposed to the hot August breeze. They stepped out onto the black floor of the roof which was _way_ hotter than it needed to be. Loki was sitting in the nearest corner of the roof, on the edge, with his feet dangling down off the side. He was facing the baseball fields and suddenly could see why Loki would take refuge here.

The sun shown across the fields and the trees in a sparkling display of warmth and green leaves. There were birds tweeting in the nearby trees and the cicadas buzzed loud. It was soothing.

They approached Loki slowly. Tony glanced at Thor, who looked utterly calm. It seemed that he was only one nervous about Loki sitting on the _edge of a fifty foot drop._ "You have a thing for roofs," Tony called out, shoving his hands in his pockets.

Loki's head whipped in their direction with a ready scowl. At least he wasn't crying. Tony could hardly deal with that. "What's _he_ doing here?" His directed his question to Thor, choosing to completely ignore Tony. His hair was stringy and still dripping.

Thor hoisted himself up onto the small wall Loki was sitting on and swung his legs over so he was sitting side by side with his brother. "He was worried, just as I," Thor explained.

Loki glanced back at Tony one more time before turning his full attention on Thor. "Your friends are insufferable."

"Yes, I know," Thor confirmed. "But I can't control them." Thor scooted closer to his brother and wrapped an arm around Loki's shoulders. Tony was surprised when Loki did not pull away.

Tony moved to a space in the wall near them and leaned against it, resting his arms up over the top. He glanced over at the brothers while he listened in on their conversation.

"You are going to be sent home, you know," Thor said. He looked absolutely concerned.

"No," Loki bit out, looking more enraged than he had in the cafeteria. "I am not going to chewed out by Odin for having to be sent home early on the second day of school."

"Well you can't go to class. The teachers will just send you away anyway and then you'll be either sent to Fury or the nurse's office and I know how you hate both."

Loki smiled wickedly. "I have a better solution."

"No," Thor said, dropping his arm from Loki's shoulders. "No, Loki, that would be even worse!"

"Can I borrow your car, brother?" Loki said playfully.

"No you cannot and you are not skipping class! It's the first week of school!"

Tony straightened up. "You can come with me." Never in his life had Tony ever skipped class but for some reason he was offering himself up. Why was he putting himself on the line for some kid he just met?

Both brothers looked to them in obvious surprise. "You're serious?" Loki asked.

Shrugging, Tony pulled out his phone. "If you want to come with, you can. I was already planning on skipping class."

Loki regarded Tony with a guarded expression but after a moment, he swung off the edge and landed back on the roof. "It's not easy getting out of here without being caught. Fury's office is by the front doors."

Tony smiled and waved his phone at Loki. "Jarvis, how long until the bell rings?"

"Three minutes and twenty two seconds, sir," Jarvis replied.

"Okay, Loks. Let's go," he said, grabbing Loki's wrist with a jerk and pulling him towards the exit.

Thor didn't even bother following them.

* * *

Loki was being tugged after Stark and he couldn't help being a little impressed. Tony was a bundle of surprises at every turn and it fascinated Loki. But that didn't make them anything close to friends, not at all.

Their footsteps echoed as they clomped their way down the stairs and into the hallway. Reaching the bottom step, Loki released himself from Tony's grip to lead the way. He knew just where to escape.

His heart was hammering, but not from the possibility of being caught. He was scared. Odin was not going to be happy. But screw it.

He glanced at Tony to find him glanced down at his phone just as they skid through the sophomore's hallway and stopped to look around the corner. "What are you doing?" Loki hissed.

"I'm tracking any movement in the hallways," he said, watching as little dots moved around a blueprint of the school.

Loki pressed in closer, trying to get a good look at it. "Cool, it's like the _Marauder's Map_."

Tony looked at him, frowning in confusion. "No, this is Jarvis…" They both stared, not quite understanding each other. "Come on, let's go," Tony said finally. "There's a clear path open to the entrance and Fury has just gone up to the science wing."

Before he finished talking, Loki slipped around him and shot out down the corridor on light feet. He was well practiced with disappearing but Tony, Loki realized, was not. His steps were heavy and his tromping was loud enough to make Loki cringe.

They raced down the hallway and around the corner. They had the front doors in their sight. Tony sprinted out in front of Loki and slowed by Fury's office to glance in the window, but thankfully he'd been right. Fury was gone. The two pushed out the front doors and Loki laughed, feeling the excitement of a successful escape until they ran right into Bucky.

Loki froze but glanced at Tony. He looked furious. "What are you doing here?" Loki asked Bucky, turning to him angrily.

"Waiting for you," he replied with a grin. "Though I didn't know you would bring a friend."

Loki grimaced, not knowing what to say. "Come on, Loks," Tony said, sidestepping Bucky in the direction of his car. He paused when he noticed Loki wasn't following him.

Stark didn't understand though. Bucky was pure evil and there was nothing he could do to stop him from doing what he wanted. "What do you want?" Loki asked evenly, looking his tormentor in the eyes.

"You're coming with me," Bucky said. "Not Tony." Loki glanced over at Stark's worried face before turning back to Bucky. "Remember our deal, Loki?"

Loki's face immediately heated. "You mean _your_ deal," Loki said, shuffling his feet uncomfortably.

"Regardless, you will do what I want," Bucky said with a grin. What a jackass.

"What does he mean?" Tony said, watching Loki with narrowed eyes. "Come on. Let's just leave this jerk behind and get out of here!"

"Your boyfriend's pushy," Bucky said. "But no matter how much he moans, you're going to come with me, right?"

Loki crossed his arms and refused to look at Stark. "Yeah, I'll go with you."

"What?" Tony cried, looking incredulous at Loki's decision.

"Shut up, Stark," Loki warned. "Like I said, we're not friends."

"And you and this asshole are?" Tony almost looked hurt and Loki's heart lurched. Tony was the only one who was nice to him a long time. Well, Tony would have to learn one way or another.

"Sorry, Stark, but you just aren't worth my time." He turned to Bucky and smiled sharply. "Lead the way." Loki would do anything to keep his secret.

Bucky's grin grew and he looked over at Tony smugly before wrapping a tight arm around Loki's shoulder. Loki's skinned crawled from the bastard's touch. Bucky dragged Loki in the direction of the steps but paused long enough near Stark to say, "See, Tony? I told you. He's mine."

Loki's spine shivered as the disgust overwhelmed him. Tony's eyes seemed to reflect Loki's horror but he couldn't be sure of it. He didn't have time to dwell. Bucky was already pulling him away, down the steps, towards his old beat-up station wagon and in that moment, Loki knew that he was spiraling into another horrible chapter of his fucked up life.

Loki looked back, briefly, to gaze at Stark and he knew suddenly that he made the right decision. The concern in Tony's eyes was not something he deserved after all that he did. Tony was too good to know someone like Loki, and he was determined for it to stay that way. He vowed _never _to talk to Stark again.

* * *

**What do _you_ think Loki is hiding?**


	7. 9th Grade

When they reached Bucky's car, Loki shrugged away Bucky's arm and turned to glare at him. "You're a dick, you know that?"

Bucky laughed. "Come on, Loki. It'll be like the good ol' days," he said, gesturing to his old, beat-up green car. "You and me skipping class? We used to have so much fun together."

Loki glanced over his shoulder at the school. Tony was gone. He turned back and sighed, crossing his arms. "Look, can't we stop this charade? I said I was sorry. It's been two years and you've done enough to get your revenge so-"

Bucky grabbed Loki by the throat and slammed him into the car, holding him there painfully. "I will _never _forgive you for what happened," Bucky growled. His eyes were wild with the rage.

Loki clawed at Bucky's fingers instinctively as he tightened his hold. He continued, "And I won't stop messing with your life, Loki, until you understand how I feel." Finally, he released Loki and he fell to the pavement, gasping on all fours. His lungs burned.

"I'm sorry," Loki croaked. He knew he deserved Bucky's hate; it was supposed to have been him.

Bucky's face contorted, for the first time in two years, into an expression of complete loss. He was on the verge of tears. Loki could almost see his old friend in there. Scoffing incredulously before turning away. "You know what," Bucky said shakily, "I can't even look at you right now."

"Bucky…"

He didn't hear Loki. He rounded the car in a flash and disappeared into his car. It roared to life in an instant and Loki had just enough time to scoot away from it before Bucky was backing out over the space Loki had sat just moments earlier. Loki couldn't help feeling a little remorseful to see him go.

* * *

**9****th**** Grade - Two Years Ago**

Loki laughed, leaning back in his seat in Bucky's brand new car as he glanced at his best friend, Bucky as he drove steadily down the highway singing along to _Highway to Hell_ as it blared from the car radio. Bucky got his license yesterday. He was official; A man of the road! Bucky had stolen his parents' new car to go on a joyride. It was shiny, black, perfect.

Cracking open a bag of Cheetos, Loki held the bag towards Bucky. "What's a better way to celebrate getting your license than driving around town after school with a bag of Cheetos?"

Bucky laughed and took a handful, shoving it all into his mouth with a cheesy crunch. "You really know how to throw a party," he shot back with a chortle.

The windows were down, letting in the fall evening air, and it whipped through their hair. "We're going to get in so much trouble when our parents find out."

"Screw them," Bucky shouted over the song. "They can handle one day of teenage rebellion."

Loki laughed as Bucky turned off the highway to head back into their small dinky town. "Where should we go next?" Loki asked, watching the fields whir by the window as they drove back towards the city limits. The sun was almost completely gone, making the drying stalks of corn glow slightly with the dim light.

Bucky shrugged. "There's nothing to do in our crappy town." Just as the words were leaving Bucky's mouth, he grinned and slammed on the breaks.

Loki lurched forward in his seat, spilling Cheetos all over the car floor. "What the hell?" Loki said.

Bucky did a tight U-turn and swung the car around and accelerated quickly, heading in the opposite direction of town. Bucky turned up the music louder. "Brace yourself, Loki. We're going on a road trip! We're going to the cities!"

"Why?" Loki hollered over the blasting stereo.

"I know a place we can go."

* * *

They arrived in the cities close to 10pm. It took about two hours to drive to the cities from their hometown and in that time, Bucky had gotten three calls from his parents. Loki looked at his own phone. No missed calls. He thought that someone would've noticed his absence by now… but he had snuck out his window, so they might have just assumed he was reading in his room like always.

He pocketed his phone again and rested his head against the window while he turned to look at Bucky. "Where are we going again?"

"I've got a guy," Bucky said as they turned onto a quieter street, "that can get us some fake I.D.s"

Loki sat up straight, wide eyed. "What are we going to need I.D.s for?"

Bucky smirked at him. "Really? You're not that naïve, are you?"

"Well, you've told me absolutely nothing," Loki retorted. He crossed his arms and blew a few strands of black hair from his face. "And I'm only 15, there's no way I'll pass for 21."

The car slowed and they parked by the curb in front of a tall apartment building. It was dim but it wasn't dark and creepy like Loki had expected. Loki opened his door and peered around before getting out. It seemed like a decent neighborhood.

Bucky appeared in front of him, rolling his eyes. "Would you stop being a buzzkill, Loki? This will be fun."

Loki swung out of the car, glaring at Bucky. "I'm just cautious."

"You'll be fine." Bucky led him away towards the building in front of them. They climbed the front steps and stopped at the door. Bucky looked at the registry and skimmed a finger down the listings until he found the one he was looking for. He pressed the button, causing a buzzing sound, and then he waited. Seconds later, the front door unlocked.

Bucky grabbed the handle and opened it but paused to look at Loki. "It'll only take a second."

They arrived upstairs on the third floor moments later and Bucky was knocking on the door of 1398. The door opened instantly and there stood a normal looking guy. Probably in his late twenties.

"Hey," Bucky said with a smile. "Do you have it?"

The guy didn't even say anything. He just handed two I.D.s out to Bucky, who took it, and promptly closed the door on them. Bucky laughed. "My cousin's never been very sociable."

He handed Loki one of the cards and Loki looked at it in surprise. The I.D. had a picture of Loki, slightly edited, with an adjusted age and everything. "When the hell did you do this?"

Bucky pocketed his own I.D. and shrugged. "I just knew that I wanted to do this but I didn't know when. So I had my cousin make us up some fake I.D.s."

"So what are we going to do with these?" Loki asked, pushing his own I.D. into his pocket.

"We're going to a club."

* * *

They had parked a few blocks away and walked their way to the club. The bright words "Prohibition House" glared down at them from the building in neon blue and green colors. Loki wondered briefly whether this was a bad idea after all but with one glance at Bucky's smile, he knew that he couldn't ruin this for his friend.

They got into the long line and Loki swallowed down his nervousness as the line slowly approached the door. He felt entirely underdressed and too small and young to possibly get in. Surely the bouncer would catch them before they went in?

"I.D.s," the bouncer demanded as they finally came to the front.

Bucky immediately whipped his out but Loki was a little slower and he handed his over shakily. The giant man took it roughly and brought it into the light to peer down at it. Loki watched as his eyebrows quirked slightly and his judging eyes snapped up to roam over Loki and Bucky. Beside him, Bucky stood confidently but Loki felt naked in his skin. They were going to get caught.

The bouncer stared it a moment more before passing the cards back to them with a knowing smile. "Go ahead," he said with a grin. "Have fun." His last words sounded strange but Bucky pulled Loki away into the darkness of the club.

The music burst forth as soon as they passed through the doors. Loud rave music overwhelmed them and the tight crowd made it instantly hot and claustrophobic. But Bucky led him further inside.

The only lights inside were dim black lights and neon strips and there were people everywhere. Loki glanced up at the skywalk where people were dancing in a trance. The whole place was vibrating with the movement. Off to the right was the bar but it was hard to see with the plethora of bodies surrounding it. Loki breathed slowly, trying to capture everything at once.

"Should we dance?" Bucky hollered over the music at Loki.

"No way in hell!" Loki yelled back. He didn't dance. Ever.

Bucky laughed and led the way away from the dance floor and towards the bar area. Just as they were maneuvering through the bodies, Loki slammed right into a man, whose drink splashed over his chest.

"Sorry!" Loki said quickly, jumping away.

"It's okay," the man said in a deep-toned voice. Loki looked up at him and was affronted with a man who looked to be in his thirties with a scruffy dark mustache and beard.

Bucky appeared at his side and said, "Sorry man. It's crowded."

"I'm used to it," he said, smiling widely. Loki shivered at the look in the guy's eyes. "You know what? Let me buy the two of you a drink."

"Hey, thanks!" Bucky said as the guy moved away from them, heading for the bar.

As soon as he was gone, Loki turned to Bucky worriedly. "We need to get out of here."

"We just got here."

"There's something messed up about that guy," Loki urged. "He-"

"He's fine," Bucky said, waving him off. "You need to loosen up Loki."

Loki sighed heavily in frustration but he had no time to say more. The guy appeared quickly by them again, handing them each a drink. Bucky immediately took a swig of it but Loki hesitated, holding it up to the light. "What is this?"

"Vodka sour," the guy replied. "Try it, you'll like it."

Loki brought it to his lips, testing it out. It was bitter and it burned going down. Loki looked up to watch as the guy turned his creepy gaze over at Bucky. Loki did not like where this was going. Maybe he should just pull Bucky away and take him somewhere else in the club.

Turning away, Loki scanned over the crowd to scope out a safer place to head towards as he took another swig. A girl appeared in his line of vision. "Hi!" she greeted warmly.

"Out of the way!" Loki yelled at her instantly.

"Jerk!" she tossed back angrily, stalking away.

Perhaps he could take Bucky up to the skyways and they could escape the freak up there. He watched for a moment, sipping his drink. The crowd was jumping to the beat. Now that was something Loki would like to be a part of. Not standing around talking to creepy guys by the bar.

Suddenly, the world dipped to the side and Loki stumbled, spilling his drink a bit onto the floor. He caught himself just in time and straightened up, blinking hard. What was that? He felt fine… But maybe… He held up his half empty drink, peering at it in alarm. No, it couldn't be. He lowered his arm with an uneasy feeling.

Quickly, he turned back for Bucky and froze. Where the hell were they? The spot where they had just stood was empty! "Fuck!" Loki swore. He shoved his drink onto the nearest surface and headed toward the bar glancing around in fear. "Fuck you, Bucky," he murmured under his breath.

For several minutes, he wandered around aimlessly, growing more worried as the time wore on. His vision was wavering but it was still at bay. He just needed to find Bucky.

At least ten minutes had passed when he stopped by a group of girls standing a few feet where Loki and Bucky had stood earlier. They were slightly shadowed from the low lighting. "Hey, did you see a creepy old guy and a kid my age pass here?" he struggled to say under the dizzying cloud in his brain.

The girls glanced at each other. "Aren't you too young to be in here?" one asked, blinking in confusion at him.

"Answer the damn question," Loki slurred over the pulsing of the music.

"I think I saw them go that way," a different one said, pointing towards the far side of the dance floor. "And you know, he probably drugged that drink your friend had. He looked pretty out of it when he passed."

"It's only been maybe five minutes since he started drinking!" Loki protested, not actually how long it had been. Time was blurring.

"That shit works fast," she said seriously. "You better go find him."

He wandered away unevenly and he did look, but there was no sign of his friend. Not anywhere. It was starting to scare him to death. He checked his phone for the millionth time, not quite seeing the numbers. At least thirty minutes had passed and Bucky wasn't answering his phone and no one had seen him. Loki was breathing hard, spinning to check for any sign of his friend. The world blurred with his movement. This was not good.

It was hot, too hot and the lights looked funny. Loki only wanted to lay down and sleep but he needed his friend. He could feel it in his bones that something was wrong. If only he could clear his thoughts! He huffed, pressing a sweaty palm to his hot forehead and pushed away his hair. "Fuck," he said for the millionth time.

Picking a random direction, Loki stumbled forward and headed towards the far wall. When he got there, he scanned the area. There was a dark corner to his right and he headed for it. Getting closer still, he noticed that there was a line of small rooms, lining this wall. Oh god.

Going to the first room, Loki threw back the curtain. It was a couple making out and they continued as if they hadn't been disturbed. He went to the next one and pulled it aside a little more gently. Empty. "Bucky?" Loki called, stumbling to the next curtain.

This one he pulled back quickly and he froze in shock. Bucky was lying on the small bench inside with his shirt off but thankfully, the rest of his clothes were still on. And there stood the guy. The guy that had done this to them. "You!" Loki yelled unsteadily, trying to stay upright.

The guy looked up from Bucky and grinned at Loki. Loki roared with anger and barreled forward, trying to tackle the bastard but he caught Loki by the waist and slammed him against the wall and pressed him there. "Came to join us?" the man murmured, barely loud enough to be heard over the music.

Loki tried to throw the man off but he was pushed back against the wall harder. The bastard snaked one hand downward along Loki's hip, heading for location Loki had never been touched. Just as the guy brushed him, Loki lashed out, panicking. He kneed the bastard in the groin and he cried out in pain, dropping Loki. "Fucking bastard!" Loki hollered, kicking the guy in the stomach.

The guy dropped to his knees and Loki had just enough time to scoop his friend up and throw him up into a piggyback. Loki was sweating, breathing hard, seeing everything in a blur, but yet he pushed his way through the crowd in a panic.

"Are you okay?" Loki remembered someone asking but he shoved them aside.

He got to the door. He wasn't sure how but there he was. Relieved, he pushed out into the cool night air and concentrated hard, heading in the direction of their car. It was this way right? It had to be…

The world blurred and suddenly he was in front of Bucky's car. What? When… Whatever, fuck it. Loki slowly lowered his friend from his back leaned back against the tire of his car. He needed to find the keys. He began searching.

The world blurred a second time and Loki breathed in sharply at the sudden evasion of light in his eyes. His hands were pressed on a steering wheel, a car pedal beneath his foot, his friend next to him in the car. The road was muddling back and forth in vision. _Stay still, stay still,_ he urged the road.

He headed for the light. That was the way home he was sure. It got closer and closer and suddenly Loki's heart lurched just as they hit something solid, throwing the car into a shuddering 360. Loki screamed as the car span once more. Something hurt. Fuck, what was that?

The car lurched to a stop and Loki breathed hard, staring out the windshield, trying to piece together what had happened. What…

Loki turned to the door and pushed his way out, stumbling onto unsteady feet. It was dark. There was a street light leaning at a dangerous angle and the front of Bucky's car was smashed in.

Loki did not find any of this concerning. He made his way around the car and opened Bucky's door and pulled his friend out. It was the right thing to do, he was sure. But with Bucky's added weight, Loki fell backwards, hitting the pavement.

He didn't remember anything after that.

He was told that he and Bucky were found side by side, both uninjured, just bruised. And when he was told by Odin that Bucky had been driving that night, even though Loki knew differently. Odin covered the whole thing up with money and excuses and told Loki to never speak of the incident again. Bucky was thrown under the bus and Loki couldn't do anything about it.

Bucky had almost gotten raped, Loki crashed Bucky's car, and now Bucky was getting punished by his parents and was also charged with a DWI. All of this was done under their town's nose.

And so began Loki's isolation.

* * *

**Sigh. I'm not completely satisfied with this chapter. Feel free to chew me out! **


	8. Marbles

**So I just saw Captain America: The Winter Soldier yesterday and I kind of feel bad for making Bucky a douchebag in this story. Sorry Bucky!**

* * *

Tony zoomed down the road, letting the roar of his engine calm him as he went 20 miles over the speed limit as he drove home. Tony was royally pissed. What made Loki want to go with Bucky of all people? What did that jackass have over Loki?

Tony's temple pulsed with frustration and he pressed down on the gas pedal even more, allowing the world to flash by. No one has ever ditched Tony Stark for anyone else. People usually ditched to hang out with _him_! Tony gritted his teeth, slammed on the breaks just as he came to his street and swung haphazardly around the corner. Tony slowed down by Loki's house just to glare at it purposefully before he pulled into his driveway.

"Jarvis, remind me to egg Loki's window," he said just as he switched his car into park.

His phone, which he had plugged into the car, lit up and Jarvis's voice boomed through the stereo. "I would advise against it, sir."

"Since when do I ever listen to you?" Tony said, rolling his eyes. He cut the engine and pulled his phone from the port.

"You don't," Jarvis replied honestly. Tony laughed. It was the truth. The only person Tony would ever listen to was his self. Tony silenced his A.I. by switching his phone off and placing it in his pocket.

Tony let himself into his house and kicked off his shoes off at the door. The place was still completely empty besides the boxes stacked in each room and the furniture that was all waiting in the living room. Tony dropped his backpack in the hall before walking down the hallway on his way to the kitchen.

Entering the kitchen, Tony's footsteps echoed across the tiles. The boxes covering the kitchen counters were accompanied by Tony's take-out boxes from his last few meals. They were starting to fill the kitchen with a rancid stink that almost had Tony gagging.

He went to the nearest box and ripped it open. Tony had been looking for garbage bags but all that were in this box were stacks of serving bowls. Shrugging, he grabbed one and placed his crumpled fast food bags in it. He set the bowl of garbage down outside the back door. He was too lazy to do anything more.

Pacing back into the kitchen, Tony eyed the fridge. He paused by it, contemplating. Maybe he should plug it in. That's what normal people do, right? Nah, when was he ever going to use it? He would probably order pizza or Chinese again tonight.

Tony made his way upstairs and his steps echoed across the empty house as he dragged himself up to the second floor. He walked past his father's completely empty room on the way to his own and he tried not to look in it as he passed. In his own room, Tony came to a complete stop, staring in dissatisfaction at the state of his room. Boxes everywhere with things only partially unpacked. His mattress was bare except the single comforter and pillow on top of it. His dresser stood on the other side of the room, untouched. Depressing.

Tony grumbled quietly to himself before going to his window. He looked out of it without thinking and he came face to face to the one person who had him in this crappy mood. Loki.

Loki looked up in surprise, moving his head away from where it had been pressed against the glass. His black hair fell into his eyes.

Tony adverted his gaze immediately and he took out his phone, activating Jarvis. "Play me some music, Jarvis. I'm in a cleaning mood." He threw the phone onto his bed.

"ACDC, I presume?"

"You know me so well," Tony grinned and he bent over a box and pulled out an ACDC poster and his box of tacks. He immediately went about the task of pinning the poster over his bed as _Thunderstruck_ played on his phone.

After a moment, Tony stood back to admire his handiwork. Good, it was straight. He stared at it a good three seconds before he found himself glancing towards the window, searching out Loki. Huh. Loki was sitting out on the roof now, window wide open. He hoped that wasn't Loki's way of trying to talk to him. Tony scoffed and went to pick another poster out of the box.

Suddenly a soft thud hit the window. It startled Tony and he looked up, completely forgetting about his posters for the moment. Tony watched Loki gear up to throw another object at Tony's window and whatever it was hit Tony's window lightly.

Curious, Tony went to the window and took his time opening it. "You called, dear?" he said, leaning over the window sill to look at Loki.

The poor guy looked like a deer caught in headlights. Tony glanced at Loki's hands and noticed that they were full of marbles. "Why the hell are you throwing marbles at my window?"

Loki smirked at the marbles in his hands and said, "It's Thor's marble collection. I felt it was time for him to grow out of his obsession." He looked up at Tony and his smile wavered.

Tony smiled wryly back. "Did you have fun with Bucky today?"

"I didn't go with him," Loki said. He dropped his eyes and dumped his handful of marbles into the gutter. Tony watched in mild amusement as the marbles rolled down into the drain with a clang and dropped onto the lawn below.

"Why not?"

"Don't worry about it, Stark."

"I still don't see why you hang out with that jackass," Tony said.

"I don't _hang out _with him and he's not a jackass. He's just Bucky."

Tony frowned at Loki. "I'm not seeing your reasoning here, Loki. The guy dumped soda on your head today and made it very clear that you are his little bitch. Why don't you just sock a good one in his stupid, smug face?"

Loki was staring at Tony like _he _was the crazy one. "Are you quite done?" Loki asked, pulling himself to his feet and sweeping off the dirt on his jeans. "Now, if you don't mind, I'm coming over."

Tony shot straight up, hitting his head on the top of his window with a painful slam. The window shuttered and slipped down a few inches. Tony clutched at his throbbing head but glared at Loki. "Says who? You ditched me earlier."

"I need a place to lay low for a while," Loki said, eyeing Tony's roof.

"Hold on, you don't plan on jumping this gap, do you? It's got to be at least seven feet!"

"You say that like it's a lot," Loki replied, moving his feet into a position that made him look like he was about to start a marathon. "It'll be easy."

"Loki," Tony started but Loki wasn't listening. Tony held his breath as Loki ran two steps before launching himself across the narrow space between their houses. Loki hit Tony's roof hard but he landed easily and somewhat gracefully. "If you put any holes into my roof, you will pay for it."

Loki grinned triumphantly and made his way to the window. Tony stepped back to allow Loki to slip through. He dropped lightly onto the floor and he glanced around, scrutinizing Tony's room. "I think this is the room the old lady died in," Loki said nonchalantly.

Tony looked at Loki in horror. "How cruel! Why would you tell me that?"

Loki laughed and Tony almost felt his heart stop as he listened to the light, breathy sound. Tony pushed away the feeling to really look at Loki, trying to gage what Loki was up to this time. The kid really was bipolar.

"So what are you doing here, Loks?"

"Laying low, just like I said," he replied, going to one of Tony's boxes and peering inside. "My father is going to have a fit when he gets home."

"I wish my dad would yell at me," Tony said in response and suddenly he felt all of his air leave him as realized what he had just said. That had to have been the saddest and most pathetic thing he's ever said. Quickly, he tried to backpedal. "I mean, you know, because my dad is never around?" Damn it! Damn it! Damn. It. That was the opposite of what he wanted to say.

Loki was looking at him steadily and he didn't say anything. Instead, he blinked a few times before reaching down and pulling out a poster of a car, which Loki looked at scathingly. "You really have terrible taste in decorations, Stark." Loki glanced over at the phone and added as a second thought, "And in music."

Tony was grateful for the change in subject. "We take offense in that, don't we Jarvis?"

"We do, sir," Jarvis replied. "Even though we spend five hours a day listening to the same twenty songs."

Loki laughed. "What was that?"

"Jarvis," Tony said.

"You talked about it earlier at school… What is it?"

And that's how Tony was sucked into a long speech on how he had created Jarvis in the eighth grade and his interests in A.I. creation and his intense love for cars, computers, and 80's movies. In turn, Loki talked about his adoration for Harry Potter, science, and mozzarella sticks. Tony couldn't help but marvel at how dorky the school's punching bag was.

Before he knew it, Loki was helping him set up his room. Loki hung up all of Tony's posters which he proclaimed were all horrendous, or vile in the case of the poster of a naked chick on a Ferrari. An hour passed or maybe more (Tony wasn't keeping track of the time) when a loud crack was heard from the house next door.

Tony's eyes went to Loki and he found him glancing out the window with a short flash of fear in his stony expression. The alarm clock in Loki's hands slipped from his fingers and hit the floor with a clang, only causing Loki to jump even more.

"Silence the music," Tony commanded Jarvis and he went to the far side of the room to flip of the lights. He didn't know why he did it, but it was his first instinct. The room was plunged into quiet dimness. The natural light outside wasn't completely gone but it certainly had faded and it casted a creepy glow over Loki's silhouette.

"Loks," Tony hissed.

Loki's head turned his way but Tony couldn't make out the expression on his face. Too dark. So Tony went to Loki just as light flooded from Loki's window and yanked the boy out of view of the window. Loki slid down to side against the wall just below Tony's window and Tony sat down dutifully next to him, watching him closely.

"Loki!" was Odin's growling call into the empty room.

Tony could feel Loki tense beside him. A protective flare fizzled through Tony's veins but he did his best to ignore it.

Odin continued to call Loki's name but left the room, leaving the light on. Odin's voice boomed just as loudly no matter where he was in the house.

"Where's Thor?" Tony whispered.

"Out with friends."

"Your mom?"

"Works late."

"What's Odin going to do to you?"

Loki finally looked at him and he smiled weakly. "I have absolutely no idea. Give me a good swat? Nothing I can't handle."

Tony froze at the confession. Or was it a confession? Loki could be joking, but the desperate look on Loki's face said otherwise. Odin was hurting Loki.

"And by 'a good swat' you mean…?"

"My father likes to get a punch in now and then," Loki said, shrugging. "Not a big deal."

Tony huffed angrily. "Not a—"

"Relax, Stark," Loki said forcefully. "I get my own punches in. Now shut up, would you?"

They sat there waiting for what seemed like hours. Odin raged on for a while but things went eerily quiet abruptly. Soon after there was a harsh, shuddering pounding on Tony's front door. Neither of them moved.

Sometime after Odin left and things went quiet again, but still neither moved. They just sat side by side as the room progressed into the dark.

And if Loki fell asleep on Tony's shoulder, well… let's just say Tony stayed still all night.

* * *

**Sorry for taking so long to update! My semester is winding down and that means PROJECTS PROJECTS PROJECTS! I hate school.**


	9. Intentions

Loki woke with a crick in his neck and his face pressed into something firm. He opened his eyes blearily and then blinked rapidly. Something was very wrong here.

There was a warm pressure resting on his head. Moving just slightly, Loki turned to stare at Tony's shoulder. Oh God, he'd fallen asleep on Stark's shoulder. He could even feel Stark's brown hair tickling the back of his neck in time with Stark's slow breaths.

Taking deep breath, Loki pushed a hand up against Tony's face and dislodged himself from Tony's shoulder. Tony sputtered away at the movement and Loki snatched his hand away, flaming with embarrassment. He hoped that Tony had not noticed their position at any point of the night.

"Loki?" Tony called through his half-awake state.

For some reason Loki's heart stuttered. Quickly, Loki shoved the other boy away, causing Stark to fall flat onto the floor. "Rise and shine, Stark!" Loki cried a little louder than he had to.

Stark groaned into the carpet while Loki picked himself delicately, fighting the uncomfortable pain in his joints. That definitely had not been a good way to sleep. "What day is it?"

"Wednesday," Loki replied. He backed away from Stark and searched the floor for the alarm clock he'd dropped the night before. He spotted it lying face down, so he tapped it with his foot to move the time into view. Only 6:30. He had time. "I gotta go."

Suddenly Tony was awake and he shot straight up, looking at Loki with dark tired eyes. "You're going home?"

"Kinda have to," Loki said with a shrug. But Tony was still looking at him with that worried expression. "Don't worry. Odin probably left for work already." Loki turned away and began working the window open. Tony appeared at his side but he kept a good distance, leaning against the wall to watch Loki. Finally Loki had the window open all the way and he slipped through, balancing easily on the shingles.

"Loki," Tony hissed after him. Loki paused and looked back. "I'll see you at school, right?"

Loki surprised himself when he felt a ghost of a smile touch his lips. "See you in chem, Stark." Then he reeled back and leapt across the gap, landing with a thump by his window. He disappeared inside.

* * *

Loki was an awful liar and Tony hated him. Loki did not show in the hallways and nor in chemistry. He had basically disappeared off the face of the planet. Nobody knew where Loki was. Well, it was more like nobody cared.

It took Tony a while to find Thor in the senior's hallway after school and when he did, Thor sighed heavily, knowing already what Tony was going to ask. "He got suspension."

"What? He did?"

"Fury said that since he didn't want to show up for his classes or for his detention that he was getting suspension for the rest of the week. You should have seen father. He was hollering all night. And mother was a wreck. She hates not knowing where Loki is." Thor looked more annoyed than anything, crossing his arms. "He would not tell any of us where he went. Who knows what he—."

Tony cut in saying, "Wait. Loki didn't tell you where he went?"

Thor stopped to glance at Tony suspiciously. "No… he did not. Do you know where he went?"

"No, no. Loki hates me," Tony said with his hands splayed out defensively.

Thor eyed him before slamming his locker shut. He scanned the chattering crowd before leaning in closer to Tony to say, "What are your intentions toward my brother?"

"Intentions?" Tony said with wide eyes. He could feel himself slowly dying. "There are no intentions."

Thor hummed disbelievingly while he pulled on his backpack. "Whatever you say, Stark. But if you hurt Loki, I will end you."

"He's my friend, Thor," Tony said quietly. "I just want to make sure he's okay."

Something in Thor's face softened and sort of freaked Tony out. "He's fine. Just shutting himself inside his room."

Tony sighed in relief. "Thanks, Thor."

* * *

Tony didn't see Loki for the rest of the week. Loki's blinds stayed shut and Loki never went to sit on the roof. But Tony swore he saw Loki's curtains move once or twice.

Tony on the other hand, kept his curtains open, just in case Loki needed someone to talk to. He was own way of keeping himself open to Loki. But Loki didn't make an appearance.

So, on Saturday morning, Tony gave up on sitting around in his room just in case Loki decided to show up, and he instead went downstairs. He supposed he could start unpacking boxes, even though it was the last thing he wanted to do.

He was unpacking his first box when his phone rang shrilly against the empty kitchen. Tony picked it up, glanced at the caller I.D., and answered, "Hello, Pepper. How are you?"

"Hey, Tony. What are you doing? Can I come over?"

Tony glanced around the messy kitchen and shrugged to himself. "Well I'm mostly unpacking stuff from the move. I don't think there would be anything interesting for you here." He moved his phone so that he was holding it to his ear with his shoulder so that he could open up a second box.

"I don't mind helping," Pepper assured him. "I just really need something to do and everyone else is busy."

"So I'm your last resort?" Tony teased her.

"You know what I mean," she laughed over the phone. "So can I come over?"

Tony snorted in amusement. "Sure, just bring money. We're ordering pizza." He hung up the phone.

* * *

Loki was lying face down on his bed like he'd been doing since he gotten suspended. Odin had taken away his laptop but hadn't bothered with his phone. Odin knew he didn't have any friends. It was a fact that made Loki grit his teeth.

"Loki, you have to come out and eat sometime!" Frigga called through the door, clearly worried.

"I'm not hungry," he called back to his mother. His voice was muffled by his pillow. Loki wasn't going to face Odin's wrath any more than he already had.

"Mother," Thor's voice rose from behind the door. "I'll bring him his food."

There was a settling silence and Loki peaked up from his pillow. But both feet moved away from the door. Loki sighed in relief, removing his face from his pillow to stare at the wall to his right.

Odin had practically commanded him not to leave his room until Monday morning. And there was no way that Loki was going to risk disobeying again.

Loki lifted tentative fingers to the tender skin of his right cheek. It stung under his touch and he gasped, removing his fingers. He wondered how bad he looked. He didn't have a mirror in his room.

* * *

**Hi, hi! This chapter is a bit slower, but I should have things picking up again soon.**


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